My Top 30... Movies

I've had the general idea of this list for a while but been a bit slack posting anything. Thankfully this only took a few nights to put together.

This was the hardest list so far to cull down to 30, so many top movies missing out. Like previous lists no double ups of movies (choosing my favourite in a franchise) and did my best to not have similar ones or it just full of movies starring Ben Stiller & Will Ferrell. You can see I like movies that reference pop culture and ones that are now referenced in pop culture.

Just having my favourite quote followed by the preview (as they were easier to find) and a random sentence or two about the movie or my memory of it anyway. I hope you might discover something you haven't seen and hopefully enjoy. Apologies to Alicia for having to put up with my daggy taste in comedy...

30. Gladiator (2000)

'I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next'

 

Although I usually don't like Roman epics or Russell Crowe somehow they work well together

29. Two Hands (1999)
'Was that you on the Bankstown job today?'

Bookended by some Powderfinger and a Revesby bank robbery in between

28. Stand By Me (1986)
'Do you think Mighty Mouse could beat up Superman?'

I grew up watching this and Goonies, both timeless coming-of-age adventure movies

27. Juno (2007)
'Paulie Bleeker… I didn't think he had it in him'

Love the quick whitted language and the crazy, small town characters

26. Religulous (2008)
'The analogy that the Jesus at the amusement park said yesterday about the Trinity being like water. It can be steam, it can be ice, it can be liquid. Wow, that stopped me in my tracks.'

(Dad joke alert) As funny as, well... hell!

25. Terminator 2 (1992)
'Can you learn stuff you haven't been programmed with so you could be... you know, more human? And not such a dork all the time?'

I remember watching this at the movies for my birthday in Primary School

24. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
'Mojo: The libido. The life force. The essence. The right stuff. What the French call a certain... I don't know what.'

A little bit silly but my kind of comedy

23. The Bourne Identity (2002)
'How could I forget about you? You're the only person I know!'

Matt Damon surprisingly pulls off the action hero, all 3 films are very good

22. Con Air (1997)
'Put the bunny... back... in the box '

Just picked this over The Rock, both a little cheesy over-the-top but very funny

21. American Pie (1999)
'Dude that chick's a MILF!'

Could a better movie come out when you are 16?

20. The Wedding Singer (1998)
'Julia Gulia'

Who would think a romantic comedy with Adam Sandler could make it on here?

19. 40 Year Old Virgin (2005)
'You know how I know that you're gay? You like Coldplay'

Good mix of gross-out and intelligent humour. Too bad Judd Apatow & Steve Carrell's careers peaked at their 1st major movie

18. Anchorman (2004)
'You stay classy San Diego'

 Definately Will Ferrell's best role. Please don't ruin the sequel

17. School of Rock (2003)
'We will continue our lecture on the Man when we return'

The most perfect role for Jack Black

16. Meet The Parents (2000)
'Are you physically gonna take my bag beneath the plane? Are you gonna go with the guys with the earmuffs and put it in there?'

Although the meet the in-laws movies have been done to death, this is so much better

15. Man On Wire (2008)
'If you want something, nothing is impossible'

Le Coop... I know it's a nerdy doco but listening and watching this true story unfold is captivating. The story more amazing with the World Trade Center not around anymore

14. Hot Fuzz (2007)
'Point Break or Bad Boys 2? Which one do you think I'll prefer? No, I mean which one do you want to watch first?'

Feel like a lone voice when I say it's better than Shaun of the Dead. Maybe a tad too long but Nick Frost is hilarious

13. Shrek (2001)
'Do you think he's compensating for something?'

Love the Disney/child story references throughout. They should have stopped at 2

12. The Hangover (2009)
'How about that ride in? I guess that’s why they call it Sin City…'

Inspired my best ever fancy dress costume...

11. Bowling for Columbine (2002)
'Thank you for not shooting me'

It probably helps that I agree with most of what Michael Moore says, his doco's are smart, clever and a good mix of music, animation and in-your-face interviews

10. Die Hard (1988)
'Sorry Hans, wrong guess. Would you like to go for Double Jeopardy where the scores can really change?'

I was probably too young to watch it but this is one of the rare movies my Dad had that I enjoyed watching growing up. Never got tired of watching Hans falling from the Nakatomi Plaza. Worthy mention to Die Hard 3, the only decent sequel

9. The Castle (1997)
'In summing up, it's the Constitution, it's Mabo, it's justice, it's law, it's the vibe and… no that's it. It's the vibe!'

You know a good movie by the amount of quotes people still use years down the track

8. Zoolander (2001)
'I invented the piano key necktie, I invented it!'

So silly you just can't help but laugh

7. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
'I have no idea to this day what those two Italian ladies were singing about. Truth is, I don't want to know. Some things are best left unsaid.'

This movie got big after it came out on Video (yes VHS) like so many great things through word-of-mouth. When was the last time a movie did that, very rare in this social media age.

6. The Dark Knight (2008)
'Do I really look like a guy with a plan? You know what I am? I’m a dog chasing cars. I wouldn’t know what to do with one if I caught it!'

I rate all 3 of the Nolan Batman's but this one is the most memorable, unfortunately because of Health Ledgers death. My generations Godfather?

5. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
'Germany has declared war on the Jones boys'

This was a hard one to pick my favourite of the trilogy, all good for different reasons but this has a bit more humour in it which works surprisingly well

4. Forrest Gump (1994)
'Gump! What's your sole purpose in this army?- To do whatever you tell me, drill sergeant'

I always loved this movie, maybe a little too much running but original and great historical references throughout. Tom Hanks was great too

3. Toy Story 3 (2010)
'I'm not a girl's toy! I'm not! Why do you guys keep saying that?'

Zac's favourite movie and one I can watch over and over with him, it's so clever. Where every other animated movies get worse the more movies they make, this is an exception to the rule

2. Almost Famous (2000)
'I never said I was a golden god... or did I?'

Cameron Crowe is very hit and miss but the music nerd in me loves it. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is great in his small role and another movie with countless classic quotes

1. Back to the Future (1985)
'Last night, Darth Vader came down from Planet Vulcan and told me that if I didn't take Lorraine out, that he'd melt my brain'

Although the most played Saturday night movie on free to air TV, I don't think I will ever tire of watching it. I look forward to making my kids watch it and them roll their eyes at how daggy I am. Only 2 years away from hoverboards and flying cars...


I think there may only be one more Top 30, a suggestion from Alicia but will see how I go.

Hasta La Vista, Baby